But Revenants were incredibly fast.
Callum dragged the shadowstone down Kieran’s arm as he whispered something—words in a language I couldn’t understand but that the essence in my chest pulsed in response to. A shadowy, reddish-black smoke hovered over the shallow cut, much as it had swirled around the chamber in Massene when controlled by Vessa.
“What the fuck?” Kieran exploded as Malik grabbed him from behind, yanking him back. The shadow rippled over Kieran’s entire body, throwing Malik back as Casteel drove the blade through Callum’s chest.
A thin streak of blood appeared on Kieran’s arm as he tried to shake off the shadow. I grabbed his arm as the shadowy smoke sank into his skin, disappearing. “What did you do?” I cried out as panic erupted, my head whipping toward Isbeth. All I saw was Tawny’s prone body, unmoving after being struck by shadowstone.
Callum stumbled back, pulling himself free of the blade. “Gods.” Blood frothed from his mouth as he fell onto the table. “That stung like a—” the Revenant said as he slid to the floor, dead for now.
Heart thumping, I closed my hand over Kieran’s wound, conjuring healing warmth.
“No need to panic,” Isbeth said softly. “He will be fine. The shadowstone will have little effect on a wolven. It’s the curse Callum passed on that you should be concerned with.”
“What?” Casteel’s eyes were a storm of golden, swirling flecks.
“One with a time limit. One only I can lift,” Isbeth answered. “Return with Malec, or your precious wolven dies.”
Kieran’s lips parted, and my rage swelled once more.
Casteel lunged at her, but Malik twisted, catching him as Kieran snapped forward—
“Let it go.” Reaver threw out an arm, blocking Kieran. He stared down at the wolven. “Let it go.”
Kieran growled, throwing off Reaver’s arm. But he backed away, breathing heavily. The cut remained on his arm. With as shallow as it was, only the briefest touch should’ve healed it.
Isbeth remained unmoved, bored even. I hated her. Gods, I hated her.
“I need time,” I managed. “Therefore, Kieran needs time.”
Her eyes lit with that faint glow. “You have a week.”
“I need longer than that. The kingdom is vast. Three weeks.”
“Two. Your wolven will be fine for that length of time. No more.”
“Fine,” I clipped out, sensing Kieran’s worry. Two weeks sounded like a lot of time, but not when we had no idea where to begin in the Blood Forest. If we could narrow down Malec’s location… “I need something else. Something that belonged to Malec.”
Her brow pinched. “Why?”
“Does it matter?” I asked.
“Depends. Will I get it back?”
“I don’t know. Maybe? With it, I should be able to reach his tomb quicker.”
Isbeth’s gaze narrowed on Callum, already returning to life. Her lips pursed as she glanced down at the diamond ring she wore. “I have this. It belonged to him. He gave it to me.”
“I knew it was Atlantian gold,” Casteel murmured.
“It should work,” I said. Just as my blood should also work, at least according to Lord Sven.
She started to remove the ring, hesitated, and then pulled it off as Callum rose slowly. “It’s all I have of him.” Her gaze lifted, eyes shining with unshed tears. “That’s it.”
I said nothing.
I felt nothing as I lifted my hand, palm up. “I need it if you want me to find Malec.”
Pressing her lips together, she reached over and dropped the ring into my hand. I took it, slipping it into the pouch with the toy horse. A shudder went through her, and for a heartbeat, I tasted her bitter grief.
I didn’t care.
“We shall meet at the Bone Temple, beyond the Rise, two weeks from now,” Isbeth said, dragging her gaze from the pouch I’d placed the ring in. “You remember it.”
“Of course.” The ancient Temple was located between the most northern point of Carsodonia and Pensdurth, built before the walls around both cities had gone up. It was where the remains of the Priests and Priestesses were supposedly entombed.
“Then it’s a deal.” Isbeth took a step back and stopped. “I will allow Casteel, the draken, and the wolven to leave. But not Malik.”
“As I already said,”—Casteel’s eyes glowed a bright gold—“he does not belong to you any longer. He leaves with us.”
“It’s okay.” Malik brushed past Kieran. “Go and find Malec.”